How to Control the Slugs in Your Garden

Taking care of a garden is a huge responsibility, but it's also the best possible way to get healthy vegetables and fruits without any chemicals in them. Also, many people think of the gardening as a hobby and something to do in their free time. Many of the people we asked say, that taking care of their plants calms them and gives them a whole new perspective. But it's a proven fact, that these things require lots of maintenance, and there are just too many things which could go wrong. For once, the slugs just love to invade people's backyards and feed on the fruits of their hard work. Once these little creatures decide to settle, it's really hard to get rid of them, and they can destroy everything you have worked for. This is why getting rid of them is a top priority. Here are a few tips on how to control the slugs in your garden, which you should find to be more than useful.

Copperbarrier. The copper barrier is a quite amazing solution, which effectively doesn't let slugs pass through it. When a slug tries to cross the copper barrier, the moist and mucus body creates a reaction with the copper, and the slug receives an electric shock. The copper barriers can be both put vertically and horizontally. This means that they can both create a real barrier and just an electric one on the ground. The copper barriers are being sold in the stores in strips, so it will be quite easy for you to use them. They are not the cheapest solution available, but they are quite effective, so it will be worth it. If you can't afford to put it around all your plants, then just use it on the most valuable ones.

Slug bait. Nowadays on the market except for barriers and repellents, you can also find slug baits, which are supposed to lure the slug in, and then kill it. The slug baits which contain iron phosphate as an active ingredient are a lot more effective and practical than the ones which contain metaldehyde, because they can harm your pets and the wild animals. You just need to spread the granules around the plant beds in the evening and wait. Once the slugs eat them, it will make them stop feeding and they will retreat to the underground. After some time the slugs may reappear, but don't worry, because you can use this solution again, and it will still be effective on them. But just be careful when choosing a product, because some of them may be toxic to your plants. Just in case, you may consult some trained gardeners in Richmond to make sure everything is fine.

Red clover. This easy to grow legume is really loved by the slugs. The red clover can practically grow in almost every kind of soil, and is quite resistant to difficult weather conditions. People plant this nice plant around their plants, and the slugs are lured towards it instead towards the other plants in the garden. They feed on it, and they leave the other plants alone. While the clover is still alive, the slugs won't touch your other plants. After it dies a little, you can cut it and add it to the soil as a fertiliser rich in nitrogen.

Hand picking. The hand picking of slugs is not the most pleasant job in the world, but it's definitely one of the most effective ones. The slugs usually get out in the garden in the early morning and early evening. Just go out and pick up as many as you can. After that you can cut them in half and put them in some soapy water in order to kill them. If you want to make the picking even easier, you can just lay some wooden boards along your paths. They will encourage the slugs to hide under them, which will make your job a lot easier.

Beer traps.Creating a beer trapis also a very good idea, because the slugs are attracted by the fermented yeast in the beer, and they will come right to you.All you have to do is to take a shallow cup or container, bury it into the ground, so the edge can be on the ground level, and then fill half of it with beer. The slugs will be attracted by the smell, they will crawl inside, and they will drown eventually.

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Gross. I can't stand them. Growing up in San Francisco, and on the coast they are everywhere. Yes I have tried everything! I instructed my sons when they were little, that they were awful little creatures that would devour mommy's garden so they would pour salt on them or throw them up against the fence. Sounds inhumane actually, but at least many of them were gone from my veggie plants.